Writing for Fun
February 2019
Mr Fix It - Diane Silverston
Joshua arrived at his mother’s house at 6pm on the Friday, as he did every week. He hung up his coat, removed his shoes, sat down with his cup of tea. Before he had started it his mother gave him the list of ‘little jobs’ for him to do during the weekend, as she did every week. He found it hard to understand how she always found so many things for him to deal with, every weekend. Some of the jobs on the list were easy, simple tasks, such as a new battery, or change a light bulb, others were more complicated. The list would take up the whole weekend, until he left early on Monday morning, as it did every week.
On Saturday morning he was up early, had his breakfast, looking out at the garden, a lovely sunny day but no time to enjoy it. Straight after breakfast Joshua started on the list, doing the simple easy jobs first. By 11am he was half way down the list, coffee time, same as every Saturday. While he drank his coffee he glanced at the remaining jobs, some looked quite difficult and he would need some special equipment, he would need to go into town to purchase them. A chance to go out, get away from the house, have a break. His mother didn’t look very pleased but realised he had to go.
‘When will you be back, lunch is at 12:30?’
‘I’m not sure, it depends on how easy it is to get everything. I’ll have a sandwich while I’m out.’
This displeased her even more but as it would take 30 mins to get to town and he may have to wait for a bus, she had no choice.
Freedom. Out in the fresh air, a walk and a chance to relax a little. Joshua was beginning to feel better. He didn’t even mind having to wait for the bus there and back, he enjoyed both journeys, looking at people’s gardens and the changes in the area. He was lucky enough to find all the equipment and pieces he needed, had an enjoyable lunch in a small café in the centre of town.
Arriving home at 2:30pm he found his mother sitting in the lounge chatting to a friend, so he went into the kitchen and continued with the jobs on the list. Now he had the right equipment he was able to get through quite a lot. He and his mother had a tasty dinner and then watched TV together. He wished he could go out somewhere but knew that would upset her.
Sunday morning, after a cooked breakfast, he started working on ‘the list’ again. A few jobs that were going to be long and difficult. Once again a sunny day so he took the jobs out into the garden to do. Coffee time, lunchtime came and went, and still he worked on. Again his mother had a visitor in the afternoon, so she left him alone. He could hear the mummer of their chatter but he ignored it. As the visitor left she poked her head out the back door, ‘Bye, Joshua, you are such a lovely young man, so good at fixing things.’
He waved to her, and thought no more about her comment. Again he and his mother had a good meal and watched TV before bedtime.
On Monday morning after a hurried piece of toast and coffee, he left his mother’s house at 5:30am to set off for work in the city and his own small flat, as he did every week.
The following weekend, as usual he reached his mother’s house at 6pm on the Friday. Her ‘little list’ seemed as long if not longer than usual. Where was she finding all these broken things? As usual some jobs were easy, some more involved. As usual he started with the easy ones on Saturday morning. Once again he needed to go to town for some pieces to help him. This time he took even longer to come home, he went for a walk along the river, enjoying the pleasant weather. On his return, as usual, there was a friend talking to his mother. He heard part of the conversation.
‘He’s so good at repairs, a real treasure. You must be so proud of him. My clock is working like a dream now, since he fixed it.’
HER CLOCK! What did it mean? Was his mother adding her friend’s jobs to the list? He remembered being surprised about the clock last weekend, he hadn’t seen it before but assumed his mother had found it hidden away. But was it her friend’s clock not hers?
If that was the case, were there other things that weren’t his mother’s but belonged to friends? No wonder the list, every week, seemed so long. He didn’t say anything to his mother but started to work slowly and pretending things were more complicated. So by the time he left on Monday morning, the list was unfinished.
The following week, as usual, he arrived at 6pm on the Friday. The list was just as long. At the top were the few jobs unfinished the week before. Joshua still didn’t say anything but set to work on Saturday morning, went to town shopping, had lunch out and went to the Art Gallery for a while. He arrived home at 4:30, explaining that he had trouble finding a specialised screwdriver he needed. Too late to do much that evening but he worked through Sunday, getting about half the list done. He left, as usual, at 5:30am on Monday.
The week after that he arrived punctually, as usual, on Friday but explained to his mother that he would have to leave early evening on the Sunday rather than on Monday. His mother looked quite concerned but passed over the usual list, just as long, with several things he was sure weren’t hers included.
On Saturday he did the jobs he thought were hers but left the others. He, as now usual, went into town, had lunch, spent a couple of hours enjoying himself, before returning quite late. He apologised to his mother and explained how some of the tasks on the list needed very specialised equipment, so he had needed to visit more shops. She had to accept his words as she knew nothing about repairing things. Sunday morning he managed to get a couple of tasks done, before lunch and his leaving to get back to his flat.
Every weekend after that for two months he did the same, making it impossible for him to cover everything on the list. He could see it concerned his mother and her friends. When they visited they didn’t seem as happy about things.
One weekend in August, Joshua arrived at his mother’s house at 6pm on the Friday, as he did every week. He hung up his coat, removed his shoes, sat down to drink his tea. His mother gave him the list of ‘little jobs’ as she did every week. Only three things to do! All easy and would take no time at all. All obviously jobs for her, not her friends.
He was able to finish all the tasks on Saturday morning, so suggested to his mother that they should go out somewhere for the afternoon. She was surprised but looked pleased. They had a lovely time, visiting a garden centre, having afternoon tea out.
On Sunday, after a cooked breakfast, Joshua planted the flowers they had purchased, suggested they went for a walk after lunch, before he set off home to his flat.
Now every weekend, Joshua visits his mother, arriving at 6pm on Fridays, leaving at 4pm on Sundays. Occasionally she asks him to do a ‘little job’ for her but not so often. Occasionally he does something more detailed for her but not so often. Every weekend he now fixes it for them to go out somewhere, a walk along the river, a gallery, a film. Every week they have, coffee, lunch or afternoon tea out.
So now he fixes enjoyment for them both.